Tunis Eyalet

Tunis Eyalet (1574-1881) was a dependency of the Ottoman Empire in North Africa in the present-day country of Tunisia. With its capital at Tunis, it was one of the Barbary States.

History
Tunis became a dependency of the Ottoman Empire after it was taken over from the Hafsid Dynasty in 1574, with its capital at Tunis. It became a base for the pirate Barbary States navy, which raided European shipping, well into the early 1800s. The 9,000-strong Army of Ifriqiya guarded the country's borders, as it was surrounded by many great powers.

The country did not produce much goods due to its desert location. Most of its people were nomadic farmers, and in order to preserve the economy, the government cut navy and army spending. It had no reforms and all of its military branches were locally-led and locally-armed, with no European firepower.

In the 1830s, Tunisia was isolated, and took much French influence. In 1881, France invaded Tunisia and forced it to become a protectorate, which it remained until 1956, when Tunisia gained independence.

People and Culture
In 1836, Tunis had 348,250 people, a small population due to its location in the desert. The country was a diverse mix of nationalities and religions. 89.5% were Maghrebi (Arab Africans), 8.9% were African Minor, and 1.4% were Sephardim (Spanish Jews). 89.5% of the people practiced Islam, with the amount of Arabs equaling the amount of Muslims adhering to Sunni beliefs. 8.9% were animist, and the 1.4% Sephardim were practicioners of Judaism.

Meanwhile, the jobs were also diverse. 82.2% of the people in Tunisia were farmers, growing lamb and catching seafood as well as growing tomatoes, all for their consumption. 12.4% were artisan craftsmen, 2.5% were soldiers, 1.6% were aristocrats, .9% clergymen of the Sunni Islam church, and .1% bureaucrats.

Politics was mainly centered around the Conservatives, with a 73.5% majority. 16.9% were Liberals and a mere 9.5% were reactionaries.